The Secrets We Left Behind is a highly compelling story, one that I could simply not put down once I started reading! I was instantly invested in the characters of this story, brave women and men living in a constant state of fear and uncertainty as the Nazis take control of France in the spring of 1940. Cate is a British nurse who is left behind at an evacuation hospital as the British are being rescued from Dunkirk, escaping the Nazis with a critically wounded soldier. Elise and Adelaide are French sisters who suddenly find themselves providing refuge to wounded British soldiers of their own, even as the Nazis are taking over their town, placing themselves in grave danger. It was fascinating to read the story of Dunkirk, not from the point of view of those who were rescued, but by those who were left behind, at the mercy of the Nazis. The author sometimes paints a very graphic picture of the horrors that are encountered at this time, but that is alleviated by the humanity shown by the sisters, by the courage of Cate, and the determination of them all to survive.

I enjoyed this book as I didn't know anything about the people left behind at Dunkirk. It was sad, but good to read and I enjoyed the epilogue.

We all what happened at the battle of Dunkirk through books, films etc. But there is not a lot is written about those that were left behind. The Secrets we left behind by Soraya M Lane talks about just that. The base of this story is fact but the characters etc are fiction.
Cate is a British nurse in German occupied France, on the beaches of Dunkirk when she is given the short straw (literally) to stay behind and look after the wounded soldiers left behind. With one of the patients (Jack) she runs to safety.
Adelaide and her sister Elise live on their own in a village of La Paradis. There parents died and so did their brother Louis fight in the war. The two-sister witness 100 British soldiers being executed on the spot after trying to surrender. But luckily two soldiers Harry and Peter survive, but severely injured. Peter is so much in pain the end he asks Adelaide to take him to surrender. When the two sisters meet Cate and Jack. This starts a course of determination and bravery to help them escape and return to England.
Ms Lane has done it again with this beautifully written story of sacrifes and bravery in the aftermath of Dunkirk. It is also a very thought-provoking book. It also made me want to find out more to what happened to the soldiers etc that were left behind. This had a great character and a little bit of romance thrown in. If you love Historical fiction, you will love this too. I highly recommend.

Very well told story. I was so saddened to hear that some of the events were actually historical. It's amazing what people will do to/ for others. The author managed to get every emotion from me whilst I was reading! #terrifying, #romantic, #family, #friendship,#deception, #tragic, #heroic, #descriptive, #nostalgic, #amazing.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review

I don't know if I can find the words to say how much I truly loved this, but I'm going to try. This had a bit of an ensemble cast, but each character was vital to the way the story ended. While I found Addy to be way too naive and Elise to be too wishy washy in the way she dealt with Addy's naive feelings and actions, I loved them just as much as I loved Cate, Jack, and Harry.

I found myself really surprised by Harry's (and Peter, though he only makes a small appearance) introduction to the story. I had never heard of the Le Paradis massacre before, so I though it was just a really believable piece of fiction for how awful the Nazis truly were. And then I thought Lily's story with her encounter with an SS officer was too grand to be true, but that was also a false assumption. The author's note was really informative, and I really appreciate the research that went into this story. I love historical fiction, but I love it even more when it caters to actual true events (not just WWII in general, but specific events such as the massacre and Lily's story). I love a historical fiction novel that can teach me something new about the history I love and give me new things to research and further learn about.

This review is posted on Goodreads.

A riveting story of WWII: the evacuation of Dunkirk, the massacre at Le Paradis and the strength and courage of those fighting against the German occupation of France.

French sisters (Elise and Adelaide) are hiding a British nurse (Cate) and two injured British soldiers (Harry and Jack) in their house in the small Village of Le Paradis.

The story is an emotional read about family, friendship, trust and love. It is hard not to become invested in the lives of all living together under incredibly difficult circumstances.

The story is told through the three women and their strength and commitment to each other and to the men they are treating leaps from the pages.

I could not put down this book until I knew what happened to each of the characters.

I read this in two days, that's how good it was. I have read many of Soraya Lane's previous works and this may be one of her best.

Set in 1940's France, we follow the fate of a british nurse and her wounded soldier who following a failed evacuation attempt at Dunkirk, end up seeking safety at the home of two sisters. These same two sisters incidentally have already taken in another british soldier. The women must protect and find a way to safely evacuate their respective soldiers without drawing the attention of the local Nazi commander stationed in their village. This proves all the more difficult when said commander takes a liking to youngest sister Adelaide.

Lane cleverly sets these women up as the main characters and saviors. She is able to show the power women could have exercised during this time while also sprinkling in a little romance without it turning into a romantic novel. I really enjoy her work and thank NetGalley for providing an ARC for review!

Sacrifice for freedom

A breathtaking story of people brought together in the midst of the enemy during WWII. The characters were so true to life and the story kept you in suspense.

LIlly and Cate the British nurse's stationed at Dunkirk. Lilly evacuated and Cate stayed behind with the patients. Jack Cate's patient at the hospital who fled with her after the evacuation. Harry and Peter the British soldiers that cheated death at the hands of the Nazi commander the only two to survive the "Le Paradis Massacre". Adelaide and Elise the farm girls that took in the fleeing British soldiers Peter and Harry as well as Jack and Cate.

The story is of these characters in a farmhouse in the middle of Nazi troops. The different opinions, the romances, the disagreements and the plans to escape which went horribly wrong. The ones that escaped, the ones that stayed behind and one that did not survive.

Their story of the life in the farmhouse and the escape will keep you in suspense and keep you reading. The courage these young people showed in the face of the enemy is awesome. It is a story that proves the quest for life and freedom is strong enough to sustain and that love and memories live on. So many lost so much in the war and some were true heroes.

This was a very good story and based on events at the time. The ending was perfect. I was sad for those lost but very happy for those that survived. I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Soraya M. Lane, Amazon Publishing U.K. and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

WWII historical fiction has become my specialty. I did not intend for it to be, but after reading my first novel about the most horrifying period in our history I was hooked and have read and reviewed every possible book I could get my hands on. I love all the different perspectives this war is written from. It seems to me there is always a story to be told and always a different point of view to be shared. To me reading about the heroes of WWII is never dull, boring or repetitive, and this story is no exception.
Cate is a British nurse, left behind at a clearance hospital in France, when the British soldiers begin evacuating from Dunkirk, France, with the Germans closing in on them. Cate, seeing that if they remain in the hospital capture is inevitable, she rouses Jack a patient whom she has grown fond of, but who is not ready to leave the hospital telling him they must go. With Jack leading the way they venture in the opposite direction than that of the soldiers, hoping the Germans have already been through and left. This is not the case.
When Cate leaves a stricken Jack to go find help she encounters German soldiers and faking living in a nearby house lucks out when the young woman who answers the door goes along with her story, claiming Cate as her cousin.
In Le Paradis France, Elise and her sister Adelaide witness the massacre of nearly 100 hundred British soldiers from behind the living room curtains. So when there is a knock on the door Elise is reluctant to answer and even more reluctant to offer help, wanting to protect the only family she has left, her younger sister. Realizing she must help she allows them in, along with two British soldiers that survived the massacre.
This book brings the characters to life as we read of Elise's reluctance, and then her and Addy's heroic sacrifices to help others. We read of the lengths people go to to survive, and the bonds that are formed in the facing the common enemy together. The ties that are formed when one person risks everything to help another simply because it is the right thing to do.
This story is partly based on truth, the evacuation of British troops at Dunkirk did occur, and the Le Paradis Massacre is a true event, making this story all the more real and heart-wrenching.
This is a must read for all historical fiction fans, along the lines of Pam Jenoff, Karen Robards, and Ellen Marie Wiseman.
I give 5 stars, and say thank you to the publishers at Amazon publishing and Net Galley for the free ARC copy of the e-book version of this novel, I am leaving my honest review in return.
#NetGalley
#TheSecretsWeLeftBehind

I so wanted to love this book. I'm a huge fan of WW2 historical fiction, particularly when we see the secret lives of the women involved.
This book just missed the mark for me, by a very wide margin. I hate to leave a negative review, but I just didn't get on with this book at all.
We start in 1939 in Dunkirk, and swiftly move to the 1940 at the very well known evacuation of British troops. We meet Cate, a nurse who is developing feelings for a soldier under her care. We get a bit of backstory about her fiance who is missing presumed dead. At the invasion by the Germans, they escape from the hospital and walk to Le Paradis - where we meet Addy and Elise, French sisters who have witnessed the terrible massacre at Le Paradis. What happens next is basically what feels like a paint-by-numbers WW2 novel with love interests, the Resistance, and of course eventual escape. 
It just felt like this could be any romance novel set at any time. The language felt anachronistic to the time, the characters were not well fleshed out at all, and the romance parts just all of a sudden happened, between two characters who up until someone says 'I thought you liked one another' had been arguing. Maybe I'm being unfair - I'm no linguistic expert after all - but some of it just jarred. 
The author fails at show don't tell, and ultimately that is what I didn't enjoy about this book. I got no sense at all about anything that wasn't explicitly told to me. I felt no suspense at all, it was blatantly obvious at every turn what was going to happen.
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read, but this one was a dud. I'm giving 2 stars because it was readable in that spelling and grammar was fine, and although it was a frustrating read for me, it was the type of book I'd call a 'beach read' - something you'll read because there's not much else available but you wouldn't ever be bothered reading again.

HUMBLED is the word that comes to mind when I finished The Secrets We Left Behind by Soraya M Lane. I’m humbled when I stop to think of all the people in the world who gave up their lives and all the families that lost loved ones to fight in WWII. We had a lot of folks who gave all and not just in the United States.

This is the second book I’ve read written by Soraya M Lane. I read her book The Last Correspondent and loved that one as well. She puts so much research into her stories. It is unbelievable. I feel like I’m right there in the midst of the war and what the women are fighting for. These two books are from a woman’s perspective. It doesn’t make war any easier to read about but, it does give you a look at how long we have had to fight for our rights and how strong we are as women.

I loved this book. I loved the love stories. I loved the fight for survival. I loved the characters. Did it all bring me to tears. YES!

If you haven’t read anything like this, I strongly urge you to try a book by Soraya M Lane. She is awesome. The Secrets We Left Behind releases May 20th. Pre-order yours now. I promise you, you will be glad you did!

I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher and #Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

World War II France: Cate is a British nurse working in France when the Germans bear down and start taking over the country mile by mile. She is engaged but her eyes keep drifting to Jack, an injured British soldier who she is helping take care of. When word comes that most of the staff will be evacuated, Cate is left behind. In a flash of gunfire, she tells Jack that they need to escape regardless of his injuries. After trapping across the countryside, slowed by the depth of Jack’s wounds, Cate comes across sisters Addy and Elise.

Adelaide and Elise have lost their family. Their parents have died and their brother was killed soon after he left to fight the war. One day, they witness what will be known as Le Paradis massacre and find two survivors on their doorstep. With Nazis encamped nearby, they take a chance to hide them in their house. When Cate arrives in their doorstep, they take her in as their “cousin.” With France about to fall into Hitler’s hands, how will the refugees ever get out and back to England?

This book is an escape back to a time that history will never forget. I actually completed this book in a day. It was easy to read and you fall in love with the characters. I highly recommend it if you are a fan of historical fiction. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #thesecretsweleftbehind

#TheSecretsWeLeftBehind opens with the evacuation of Dunkirk and is told by three different women that were left behind to survive. Cate is a British nurse, Elise and Addy are French sisters. Each woman has her own story as they survive the German occupation. I found myself shocked at how fast I devoured this book. It just seemed that I was there with them, part of their story and the pace just continued until I had no more to read. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to give my voluntary and honest opinion.

The Secrets We Left Behind is based on facts that happened in Dunkirk during World War II. Soraya Lane writes an engrossing story about those events and three brave women.

By the picture on the front of the book you would not think this would be the story.

Based in Occupied France, 1940. , Nurse Cate is left behind following an evacuation of a field hospital in France.. When the Nazis arrive to take all the remaining patients to prisoners of war, she takes her chance and flees into the night, taking one patient with her.
Fifty miles away, the surrendering soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are shot dead by the Germans. Two men survive, and take refuge in a nearby farmhouse, where sisters Elise and Adelaide live. Cate, arrives at their door with her injured soldier, and the 2 sisters take them in.

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down, I kept hoping the outcome would be different, I finished it in 2 days
Highly recommend

France, 1940.
Planes are flying overhead, they can hear gun fire and the sound of running men and they know Germans are getting closer. The British army are retreating, the French army are trying to hold the Germans off as long as possible and they desperately need to get to Dunkirk. The British medial staff at the field hospital in a French chateau draw straws to decide who stays behind with the patients and who goes with the walking wounded to the beach. Nurse Cate Alexander draws a short straw, she stays behind, and when the Germans arrive Cate climbs out of a window with recovering surgical patient Jack.

Le Paradis is fifty miles away from the chateau, a hundred soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are cut off and stranded in a barn. They decide they have no option but to surrender and following the orders of Commander Wolfgang Schmidt and the British soldiers are gunned down.
Lying beneath the pile of their fallen comrades are Peter and Harry they’re still alive, wounded they crawl to a nearby farmhouse, sisters Elsie and Adelaide DuPont rescue them. Jack decided he and Cate should try to walk to Le Paradis and by chance they also end up staying at the farm with the sisters. With three injured British soldiers and a nurse staying with them the DuPont sisters are in danger and it gets worse when Commander Schmidt becomes interested in Adelaide and what will they do?

Three incredibly brave and strong women all took huge risks, they had to trust in each other, and they became friends and one of them made the ultimate sacrifice. The Secrets We Left Behind is based on true facts about the Royal Norfolk Regiment, the British armies retreat from the beaches of Dunkirk and it’s a cracking story.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, Soraya M. Lane never disappoints, brilliant book and five stars from me.

The book is set in 1940 German occupied France in WW2 and was written so beautifully. I was instantly immersed into the world and viscerally felt the fear and uncertainty of war. It follows three women, British nurse Cate and French sisters Elise and Adelaide point of views but also with the side characters of soldier turned patient Jack and survivors of a massacre Harry and Peter. I really liked seeing their point of views and to see their stories converge together.

The story explored the complexities of war was full of strong female friendships, love, suspense, trust and survival and it had that 'on the edge of your seat' feel and had me reading quickly so I could see what happened next. I felt attached to the characters and was so invested in their stories, that the end really hit me in the emotional feels.

I highly recommend this book and I want to check out the authors other historical books because I really enjoyed reading this.

The Secrets We Left Behind is an inspired story based on facts that happened in Dunkirk during World War II. Though the main characters are fictionalized I wouldn't be shocked if there were such brave and strong women during those times. The women in this story are strong, brave, compassionate and you are pulled into their story. This novel is emotional and if you love historical fiction is a must read. Cate, Elise and Adelaide will stay with you even after you put the book.

You guys, I'm speechless...
If someone told me last week that i would be reading a WWII fiction and end up liking it, i wouldn't have believed it.
That book was so easy to love, the author had this elegant way in describing her character and what they've faced during the war and how that changed them; i mean, let's be real, it's not everyday that you find war fiction that is simple without extravagant prose and heavy metaphors, but this one was a good exception.
I loved all the characters, they were all so well written, their pain was so raw that you can't help but sympathize and love them.
The ending was spectacular, it was the perfectly needed closure for the reader.
An amazing read.
*Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review*

The Secrets We Left Behind by Soraya Lane is an excellent WWII-era historical fiction. This is my favorite genre to read and this one kept me on the edge of my seat. This is my first exposure to this author. I will definitely be getting more of her work to read. This book is the story of two French sisters, Adelaide and Elise, and a British nurse, Cate, in WWII Nazi-occupied France. I found it both heartbreaking and romantic.